I'm curious, where in the standard does it say Yorkshire Terriers are exactly square? I've actually tried to find the answer to this as many people believe they are to be square. All I can find is "the back is rather short".
I'm curious myself and have wondered if it is true. I've been told they should be slightly longer that tall. So it seems as though there is not absolute answer in the standard so who really knows? All I know is the standard does not say "square" although many people say this? It leaves me confused
There was an article in Yorkie Club Magazine and this particular person called Sonia Pagani wrote this:
One must keep in mind the exact proportions - balance of the body. It should be compact, not necessarily square. The length may be moderately greater than the height at the withers; otherwise, the angulations of the shoulder and of the rear will be too straight. Also, the legs must be proportioned to the height of the thorax, with short hocks. The pasterns must not be flexible and the dog should have closed cat feet.
When the angulations are at its best, and the arms have the proper length, the neck “comes out” well allowing the dog to keep the head uplifted during movement - this will give the Yorky elegance.
The same may be applied for a well proportioned head. The muzzle should be neither long nor short, a good “stop”, flat skull and parallel axis skull-muzzle. This gives the exact positions for the eyes, which should not be round, nor too big and should have dark pigment. The size of the head must be proportioned and in balance with the body - rather small but not too small.